Spuds' Vroom Machine

[Spuds]

For the other boxes, I may have done something quite frivolous and completely unnecessary. I need to get new tires for off season driving anyway but my options for what to put them on are all high offset stock size wheels that look rather odd with the camber I have. They work, and it's kind of racecar-sometimes cool from a certain angle buuuut it just looks way better with the Arc8s I have for ax. Logical solution is wheel spacers right? 5mm to get to +37 and poof it's fixed. Anyway, it's pretty obvious where I'm going with this...

[autoracer86]

haha nice.

[Ultramaroon]

[NoHaveMSG]

Originally Posted by Spuds

One diagonal is a bit off towards the bolt hole, but otherwise it's quite well aligned. I'm using grimmspeed gaskets so I imagine it will be fine. Might do a test fit this weekend to make sure the output aligns.

Any thoughts on heat expansion problems if the primaries are touching? I imagine that isn't a good thing.

That, I am not sure about.

[Ultramaroon]

As long as it doesn't bind at all, no sweat. If any of the holes are misaligned enough to bind a fastener, file out some clearance.


Could prolly just shove a screwdriver between the pipes to wedge them apart a bit. I have a long tapered wedge for that kind of stuff. Made it out of the bar from one of those trigger clamp thingys.

[Spuds]

Ok so started taking stuff off the car. Here's the good the bad and the ugly.

Good:
-No oil on the under tray.
-My duct tape and glue fix for the front bumper has held up for another year.

Bad:
-Broke one of those plastic clips. NBD I have extras.
-one hole in the header is at least 1/4" off and won't even go over the stud. Not sure what I'm going to do about that...
-Also, I may have a small exhaust leak at the head looking at the gaskets? Strange.

Ugly:
-Oil keeps wanting to get out of both valve covers. See pics. RTV seems to be working for the most part, but if I can't seal this up I might have to do something really stupid.
-Battery terminal is quite corroded, my guess is from excessive heat. Gross.

[Spuds]

I think I'm going to try to return the new header as defective. It's one thing for the flanges to be slightly off or a hole to need some filing to not bind. In this case I would have to basically drill a new hole or somehow slot the existing one, and my understanding is that stainless is quite hard and therefore a pita to do those things with hand tools. Maybe I'm expecting too much from one of the least expensive headers you can get.

I might be able to make something to seal the ptuning one...

[NoHaveMSG]

I’d take in the car to an exhaust shop and have them weld the slip joints on the ptuning header. They will need to tack it in place then pull it and full weld it.

[Spuds]

Originally Posted by NoHaveMSG

I’d take in the car to an exhaust shop and have them weld the slip joints on the ptuning header. They will need to tack it in place then pull it and full weld it.

I almost called one this morning to ask about that but got distracted thinking about ways to fix it myself.

[Ultramaroon]

1. Work down to either removing, or revealing the engine.

2. Clean each part as being removed. Prepare them for installation now.

3. Remove manifold studs.

4. Lap the mating surfaces for the manifold flanges. You'll find any low spots. I alternate lapping with gentle application of a quality bastard file.

5. Those valve covers. Fuck. I know.

6. Put it back together with the ptuning header like msg says.

[autoracer86]

If you end up getting a new more expensive header have you thought about other options beyond PTtuning ? I think JDL and ACE are popular with the auto x/track crowd. Although I think quality is hit or mess with the ACE header.

[Ultramaroon]

[Spuds]

Originally Posted by autoracer86

If you end up getting a new more expensive header have you thought about other options beyond PTtuning ? I think JDL and ACE are popular with the auto x/track crowd. Although I think quality is hit or mess with the ACE header.

Yes I did. I already have the ptuning so I think I'm going to stick with that unless I can't get it fixed.

[Spuds]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

1. Work down to either removing, or revealing the engine.

2. Clean each part as being removed. Prepare them for installation now.

3. Remove manifold studs.

4. Lap the mating surfaces for the manifold flanges. You'll find any low spots. I alternate lapping with gentle application of a quality bastard file.

5. Those valve covers. Fuck. I know.

6. Put it back together with the ptuning header like msg says.

Is 1-4 for the head-manifold issue? If so, it's pretty revealed as-is? I don't understand.